


to hear that tears me up inside

by bloodsparks (orphan_account)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Azazel (mentioned) - Freeform, Episode: s03e09 Malleus Maleficarum, Gen, Suspicious Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 00:18:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13019268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/bloodsparks
Summary: Dean is worried about Sam's lack of empathy when dealing with human witches.





	to hear that tears me up inside

**Author's Note:**

> title from 'every rose has its thorn' by poison

"They need to be stopped." Sam's tone is crystal clear and sharp like the edge of a blade. It sounds like he's practiced the words a hundred times, but it also sounds like it's coming from his deepest beliefs; somewhere he leaves the things he doesn't have to think twice about. 

Dean feels his blood run cold. "Stopped like,  _stopped_?" It isn't like Sam to be so decisive about these difficult decisions, let alone when the final call involves shutting off the lights of ordinary people doing some not-so-ordinary things. It worries Dean greatly, and brings to the front of his mind something a familiar demon once told him. 

When Sam confirms Dean's thoughts with a simple nod and a look that says, _Yes, What else do you think I meant?_ , Dean's grip on the wheel tightens. He doesn't want to think of Azazel - not with everything else being balanced on their already-full plate. But his suspicions and worries are piling by the day. It started with small things, like when Sam continuously hadn't bitched about the way Dean put mustard and ketchup on nearly everything, or when he got his socks wet in his shoes and he didn't take them off.

Then, as Dean's intuition kicked in and he was paying attention, he noticed more. Sam's callous, almost cold questioning of the victim's family and friends. His curt nature when on the phone with Bobby. Hell, even the way he didn't make much of an effort to get back at Dean's petty insults was worrying. Perhaps there had been some truth to what Azazel had said. Perhaps Dean hadn't truly brought back Sam the way he knew him. 

It chills Dean right down to his marrow, to think that he'd gone and given his soul away in exchange for a dollar store version of Sam, complete without the empathy and caring nature that made Sam,  _Sam._ Dean grits his teeth and focuses on the road ahead.

Eventually, he speaks again. Testing the water. "They're human, Sam." He bites his tongue, trying not to make his brother suspicious. He doesn't say the complete length of what he's thinking, which is that they hunt monsters, not humans. Even if those humans are making New Orleans-worthy deals with monsters. 

Sam doesn't even skip a beat as he answers coolly, not even looking up from his book, "They're murderers."

 


End file.
